Ellen E. FreemanView profile
Associate Professor
Ellen E. Freeman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal. Her research focuses on the intersection of vision science, geriatrics, and public health, with particular emphasis on how vision loss impacts mobility and health outcomes in older populations. Her educational background includes a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (2005). PhD: Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (2005) Dr. Freeman's research interests center on vision impairment in aging populations, examining how visual disorders affect mobility, quality of life, and subsequent health problems. She has conducted extensive work on age-related eye diseases and their broader implications for elderly care. Her research also addresses vision loss in developing countries, focusing on preventable causes like cataracts and refractive errors. Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on the relationship between eye disease and functional outcomes, particularly mobility limitations in older adults. Her work combines epidemiological methods with clinical research to understand how vision impairment affects daily functioning and to develop interventions that can improve outcomes for patients with ocular diseases. Dr. Freeman has successfully secured multiple research grants from major funding agencies including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Quebec Health Research Fund (FRQS). Her projects span longitudinal studies of age-related eye disease, mobility research, and investigations into vision loss in developing countries. She has supervised multiple Master's students whose theses address important aspects of vision research, including self-care tools for depression in older adults with ocular diseases, intraocular pressure risks, age-related eye disease and cognitive function, and mobility limitations related to eye disease. Dr. Freeman is affiliated with research networks including the Vision Health Research Network (RRSV) and the Quebec Network for Research on Aging (RQRV), demonstrating her integration into broader research communities focused on vision and aging.








